Beyoncé will be honored with the Innovator Award at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards this year, ceremony officials confirmed Thursday. “There are few artists in the course of history who have taken creative risks, successfully transformed their music, and influenced pop culture on the level that Beyoncé has,” iHeartMedia said in a statement praising the chart-topper. They also mentioned that Beyoncé’s February release of “Texas Hold ‘Em” was “the first song this year to reach No. 1 in the US and globally on all major sales/streaming platforms, also making her the first Black female artist to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100 with a Country song.” The 2024 iHeart Radio Music Awards airs live on Fox on April 1, hosted by Ludacris, and include performances by TLC and Justin Timberlake.

Android is launching a new ‘Endless Wow Factor’ campaign featuring several celebrities and influencers using Google’s AI-powered Circle to Search function in moments that combine their physical surroundings with the online world. The campaign depicts the ease of Circle to Search, as each person easily discovers new information via the swipe of their fingertips and without switching apps. Featured talents include Naomi Campbell, Sha’carri Richardson, Brent Faiyez, and Bronny James. “I literally Google everything! And now with the Circle to Search feature, I can find things even faster by just circling an item on the photo. This technology makes complex AI feel simple and straight to the point,” Richardson said.

Boardroom’s Michelai Graham sat down with Google’s VP of global consumer marketing, Adrienne Lofton, who discussed her extensive career and shared insights on how her team conceptualizes campaigns with culture at the center.

After this season, the NBA is shutting down the G League Ignite team. The move will officially cancel the development squad of elite draft prospects and veterans that first launched in 2020, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Thursday. G League Ignite began as an effort to compensate players eligible for the draft who were seeking an alternative pathway beyond college. However, with NIL’s growing popularity and the rise of the transfer portal in college basketball, the need for the Ignite elite team became less critical. Since its inception, Ignite has produced more than 10 draft picks, including Scoot Henderson, Jalen Green, and Jonathan Kuminga.

Variety exclusively revealed Thursday that Sony plans to drop a new animated short called The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story on its YouTube channel at 6 a.m. PT on March 27. Per Sony, the project is set in the world of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and chronicles Miles Morales/Spider-Man and his efforts to balance his duties as a teenager, friend, student, and of course, superhero. Amidst those struggles, Miles experiences a panic attack that forces him to confront his anxiety and understand that reaching out for help is acceptable. The premiere comes in partnership with the Kevin Love Fund, and will be incorporated as part of the organization’s new mental health-focused curriculum, “The Hero Within.”

BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester is the newly appointed creative advisor for New Era Cap Co. The inaugural product in his multi-year partnership with the lifestyle brand is a cap celebrating the New York Mets, a nod to Sylvester’s roots in Queen, NY. “To be able to collaborate with such an iconic brand like New Era and infuse my creative point of view into selected campaigns is an amazing opportunity. This partnership not only allows me to create something special for fans and enthusiasts but also gives back to the community that has supported me along my journey,” Sylvester said. The hat arrives in red and black and includes a message of Sylvester’s GO brand, which inspires and supports individuals to explore the world by creating innovative experiences through film, apparel, and activations.

Marking its official entry into competitive tennis, Eight Sleep, the world’s first sleep fitness company, announced an all-new partnership with Taylor Fritz, the ATP’s 12th-ranked player. Fritz joins the company as both an ambassador and investor, using his status as a pro athlete to encourage all up-and-coming tennis players to incorporate Eight Sleep’s Pod into their recovery routine. He will also create content with Eight Sleep to spread awareness of healthy sleep habits for young athletes. Fritz joins a lengthy list of Eight Sleep athlete ambassadors, including Aaron Judge, Brock Purdy, Jimmy Butler, and Lewis Hamilton.